Film Reviews by TR

Okay up to a point, but cliched, as most Westerns are, and for the life of me I have no clue as to why there are no subtitles. I know the plot ain't exactly hard to follow, but the Frontier drawls get a bit tiresome when you don't have a dawg gawn clue what anyone's saying. Er, isn't the purpose of a film to try to reach the widest possible audience?

A worthy story about some selfless and frankly incredible men, let down by the irresistible urge to Hollywoodise and ramp up the macho factor to the highest level possible.

Too long by far! Cut the length by half at least and it would have been much better. The story would better fit into an episode of "The Twilight Zone." Instead, it resembles an interminable vanity-project...with dodgy CGI to boot.

There's a smugness about this whole venture that assumes we're going to like what's offered up. There doesn't seem to be any real effort put into it, as if the Oscar's already a shoe-in. Yes, I know it did win. Lazy pacing, unbelievable storyline: why would a woman go around alienating the people she needs help from? For a great picture about small-town troubles, watch "The Hunt."

I had no sympathy whatsoever for the inhabitants of this particular world, one of whom freely admitted to being in it to destroy lives. What was destroyed for me were the last vestiges of relatability I might have had with any of these humourless and selfish types.

De Niro's role suited him and he did well rather than phoning it in. This is a bit too full of stock references to the paranormal, so it became more like an Idiot's Guide, but the story was just about discernable under all the cliche, and I was caught out by the twist at the end.

This is meant to be slow-paced, so don't knock it for that. Also, what's wrong with Richard Gere's performance? He's never given a bad one, and here I thought he brilliantly showed this guy's descent into hopelessness. Very true to life, especially in the sense of being used by others for their own ends.

Not bad, predictable in places, but stretches credibility like the abilities of the bad guy which fail him at key moments. No time to develop character which would have been good. Enjoyable enough.

This is supposed to be a satire on the art world, but yet again we have a film populated by self-absorbed, reprehensible and uninteresting types, except for the angry lad and the ape impersonator. Stereotypes are brought in when an already flagging story is seen as needing a "lift." Also, watching the story develop feels like wading through treacle. I thought satires were meant to be sharp, this is about as sharp as a plastic spoon.

What...no subtitles? As if this wasn't bad enough, you then have the characters mumbling into their soup, or main course, or whatever. This doesn't do what it says on the can; there are too many distracting flashbacks, populated by even more unbearable types, making "The Dinner" an interminable bore, rather than the feisty character study it could, and should have been.

Just because the title and setting are similar doesn't mean it's trying to ape a classic. Great acting, period detail, okay the storyline meanders and is a bit predictable, but it's enjoyable enough...on its own merits.

A real star vehicle for a bona fide star. Cruise sweeps us along from beginning to end with his usual charm that he pulls off time and time again. Even though Seal's family are just supporting players and difficult to either relate to as real people or sympathise with, that just throws the central character of Barry Seal into even greater focus, and boy, does Tom Cruise do him justice, with no attempt to portray him as a good egg.

If I could give this less than zero, I would. A travesty from start to finish. Characters who don't even reach two dimensions, car chases that fizzle out, rubbish music and a laughable storyline. Film critics should take a long, hard look at themselves for talking up dross like this.

What a misleading title, nothing to do with the film in my opinion. This is once again a non-triumph of style over substance. A storyline so bare it's virtually non-existent. A bit of meat on the bones at least!

A little gem. Stylish, subtle and respectfull of the audience, too often treated like idiots to be spoonfed these days.